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Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5602, 7 February 1879, Page 4

TUB Reverend George Brown’s exploit at New Britain has been a long time before the world. At first it got itself talked abent as a story of war and cannibalism in New Zealand. Gradually the truth, as officially announced by Mr Brown’js ecclesiastical superiors after carefnlandimparthfl enquiry,became known. The lateetphase of the subject is the.ireport oI a German naval captain, who prononnicea that the reverend gentleman’s action was -the best thing for the .promotion of civilisation, Christianity, and .trade.'— At first sight it seems rather a satire upon the Missionary spirit to say that it is obliged j to resort to armed expeditions, fighting ' battles with! the arm of the flesh. Reflection, howevet, renibves the first r impression. The Reverend G* Brown’s position was unique, as Ms ecclesiastical superiors evidently felt when they pronounced that; curiously indefinite judgment of his {proceedings.; • It was ; not with him-simply a question o£ suffering martyrdom himself dr martyring somebody else. Had it been so, we may presame Brown would have known bis duty and done it in the true spirit. The ,«|uieftion was by no means so simple. Oonsiderablc progress had been made by the missionaries, who were looked up to by many for guidance, not ;<hily spiritual, but also temporal in their relations with warlike tribes by whom they were war' and possibly extermination.' The necessity to help these people, and the vital importance of holding the ground already gained by Christianity, were grave elements in the problem presented to Mr Brown suddenly for rapid solution.. He seems to have acted with energy and ability, and to his powers of . organisation and command the success of the expedition he undertook is admittedly due. Those who find it an anomaly that a Christian Minister should have to develop, however mildly—and Mr Brown’s warfare, onoe entered upon, was not, unnecessarily severe —the military instinct, should remember that the Christianity which has reached these islands of the Pacific is of- two kinds. There is the Christianity of the missionary, and the Christianity of the sailor and the trader. The one is blameless, attractive, and noble. The other is almost always the worst heathenism in disguise. The practice of the one nullifies to a great extent the teaching of the other. It is not surprising that the drunkenness and lust of the missionary’s countrymen should bring the religion of the missionary into contempt. Bat these are not the worst evils which the missionary’s countrymen bring in their train. The practice of “ blackbirding” is felt by the islanders of Polynesia in all its hideous reality. They know the murders and the rapines which belong to the trade, the sadden disappearance of their nearest and dearest, the slavery that follows, the years of absence, the small numbers and unhappy plight of those that return. In short, they knew Captain Murray, and they know the men of his kidney in the present day. It is natural that they should avenge the wrongs they receive from these men. Drawing no fine distinctions, in their eyes one white man is much, as another. Having been wronged by one white man they kill the first white man that comes in their direction. Thus the excellent Bishop Patterson met his death. Gradually other Natives are drawn into the quarrel, until at last a regular vendetta is established, in which murders and raiding expeditions follow each other with monotonous regularity. At last some Commodore Trunnion appears on the scene, and blows something or somebody to pieces. Some lieutenant, anxious for promotion, sends a sketch of the incident to the illustrated papers, and the gallant Commodore, “ from a photograph by Mayall,” beams benevolence on a hundred thousand readers. The Commodore’s guns have frightened the country for a hundred miles, and the vendetta is stamped out. Trunnion at least says so, and that model policeman of the sea knows what he is about.

It was this part o£ Trunnion that tho Reverend George Brown was called upon to enact, with in his case an important difference. Trunnion usually sails away in his ship, and while he is reporting his achievement there is an uncomfortable idea floating after him that the Natives who have escaped his shells are planning vicarious revenge. But Mr Brown after his exploit, remained, and the organisation he created remained too. He established a strong power swift to punish, just, and true to its word. Around this, law and order have some chance of grouping themselves, and in their train Ohristanity and civilisation con follow hand in hand. This is probably what the German captain meant when he reported upon the conduct of Mr Brown after examination of its results. The question arises whether a Missionary who is professedly a man of peace, should be tho proper person to draw the sword. If there is anyone else present who is competent, then the Missionary should remain inactive. But when he is alone he has to face a heavy responsibility. There was no representative of warlike power, neither a cruising Trunnion or other armed individual present. r Mr Brown, thinking there were many ways of serving his Master, chose that which seemed to him best. The event has proved to the satisfaction of impartial observers that he acted wisely.